iOS Well, Apple picked the worst possibly time to "feature" me.

[detz]

WTF, seriously Apple? I sent in a new version of my app about two weeks ago and I guess when I built it something was wrong with the binary and it crashed on all 2.x iPhones. Since I've followed their advice and upgraded to 3.0 to test on I had no way of testing on the 2.x device so I didn't know this when I sent it in.(It worked on 3.0 and 2.x in the simulator and 3.0 hardware) They let it slip through as well but since everyone buying from the store is on 2.x the app crashes for everyone.

After I got 10 emails I figured something was wrong so I got a 2.x device to test on and fixed the bug. I had it submitted within hours of being notified there was a bug but Apple is taking their pretty little time updating it(2 weeks). I get 40-50 emails a day complaining, request refunds and my rating has tanked from 4 star down to 1 star even though this could have been avoided if Apple would update apps quicker. I've emailed, I've called and still nothing. Now today a friend sent me this....so not only will more people download a broken app but if people read the reviews they wont purchase anyway so I'm loosing sales. I'm so pissed, sorry for the vent.

 

[UngratefulNinja]

That's awful! What bad timing

 

[dejo]

Perhaps it's time for an email to sjobs?

 

[PhoneyDeveloper]

The large print giveth and the small print taketh away.

I've thought that there aught to be some kind of a 'speedy review' that developer's could get. In order to avoid abuse maybe developers could get one or two 'speedy reviews' per year, or per product, or something. In this way if you had a critical bug fix that you really really wanted to release quickly there was a way to have this happen.

Another thought would be to remove the product from sale until the new version was available.

 

[dejo]

I've thought that there aught to be some kind of a 'speedy review' that developer's could get. In order to avoid abuse maybe developers could get one or two 'speedy reviews' per year, or per product, or something. In this way if you had a critical bug fix that you really really wanted to release quickly there was a way to have this happen

Agreed. Some sort of "bug-fix express-lane" would be a great addition.

 

[detz]

I called last night and the guy said there is nothing they can do. If I've sent an email then I have to wait for a response.

 

[boyplunder]

I have read with interest. I started the developer enrollment process about 10 days ago, and haven't heard a thing, except the automated confirmation email.

I have two apps, one ready to go, but it's quite obvious that my enrollment is likely to take a month, if I'm lucky, and then another month to get my app on the store. [Again, if I'm lucky.]

This seems a pretty poor state of affairs. I know that Apple are adding hundreds, if not thousands of apps each week, and it's incredible that the Appstore is so successful, but they really do need to do something, as this is only going to get worse.

Getting the app accepted in the first place should involve comprehensive checks, but I'm amazed that there isn't an upgrade fast track once an app is accepted. Common sense tells me that's the way to do it.

Steve, if you're reading, go and distort someone!

 

[Jeremy1026]

So, this is the 3rd or 4th time you've been featured (in one way or another) by Apple. Wether its 'bad timing' or not, you still have gotten VERY lucky in the app store, no reason to complain as far as I see it.

 

[DaveP]

Unfortunately the way the update to 3.0 was done I know of at least a few small developers that got burned. If you only have one device there was really no way to test on 2.x while doing 3.0 development.

Apparently the "worked on 3.0 and 2.x sim" wasn't enough.

 

[PhoneyDeveloper]

DaveP, what should Apple have done differently re the update to 3.0?

I'm in that boat. I have a single device which I didn't want to update to 3.0b. I had an update to release couple weeks ago. I tested on 3.0b Sim. I found several issues that I had to fix but I never tested on a 3.0 device. I got lucky I guess and there were no issues that only show up on the device, or at least I'm not aware of them yet if they exist.

 

[dejo]

DaveP, what should Apple have done differently re the update to 3.0?

I wouldn't mind if Apple offered cheap "development-only" devices (or, at least, access to) to allow the developers better testing on actual devices.

 

[detz]

What's interesting is when I was talking with the guy last night asking how this "slipped" through their checks he said they check everything in the simulators(which it worked just not on the device) He said it takes a long time as it is so if they had to test on devices it would take too long. I was under the impression they tested on devices since the simulator is not an accurate representation of how it will run.

 

[newb16]

WTF, seriously Apple? I sent in a new version of my app about two weeks ago and I guess when I built it something was wrong with the binary and it crashed on all 2.x iPhones. Since I've followed their advice and upgraded to 3.0 to test on I had no way of testing on the 2.x device so I didn't know this when I sent it in.(It worked on 3.0 and 2.x in the simulator and 3.0 hardware)

It seems that lack of guaranteed way to test developed software on OS other than the latest and greatest is common for Apple. On Macintoshes, however, if you're lucky enough to get live machine that 10.4 can install on you can at least dual-boot it. Have no machine with 10.4? No luck. No second iphone to test on 2.x/3.0? No luck.

 

[dejo]

It seems that lack of guaranteed way to test developed software on OS other than the latest and greatest is common for Apple.

True. But this isn't exactly a restricted-to-Apple issue. It's all too common throughout the software industry.

 

[detz]

True. But this isn't exactly a restricted-to-Apple issue. It's all too common throughout the software industry.

Yeah but there is no middleman so if I release a bug in my software(Mac for instance) I can patch it and send it out instantly. That is the part that is hurting me more than the fact I couldn't test.

 

[dougdawson]

What's interesting is when I was talking with the guy last night asking how this "slipped" through their checks he said they check everything in the simulators(which it worked just not on the device) He said it takes a long time as it is so if they had to test on devices it would take too long. I was under the impression they tested on devices since the simulator is not an accurate representation of how it will run.

That's interesting, and contrary to the impression I had gotten as well. Did the person you talk to say what version (or versions) of the iPhone OS was used by the simulator they tested on? And by "simulator", I wonder if that was the actual "iPhone Simulator" that we have come to know and love and distrust, or some internal custom job. Certainly they are testing on some sort of iPhone OS 3.0 configuration, at least.

The dev-provided iPhone Simulator is worth Jack All for many functions that operate seamlessly on the device.

Doug

 

[detz]

WTF, so they finally released the update today but it still crashes!! What's odd is it was tested of multiple phones with different versions and it worked fine. Here is what happens. 2.2.2 iphone I downloaded the fresh version. Tried to use it and it crashes. So, I deleted the app and plugged in into the computer, build and installed the same version and it works fine. Does Apple do something to the binary before putting it up? Why does it crash if I get it from the store but not if it's installed via xcode?

 

[gizabo]

lol yo that sucks. Thats a sserious "FML" moment right there

 

[PhoneyDeveloper]

I assume that Apple does something with the code signing but aside from that I doubt that they change anything.

Do you get a crash report?

 

[detz]

I assume that Apple does something with the code signing but aside from that I doubt that they change anything.

Do you get a crash report?

Crash report from Apple...no, since I guess it doesn't crash for them since they've let two version through that crash people's phones. If I go into the Organizer I can see crash reports when it crashed tonight but they mean very little. Anyone shed some light onto this?

It doesn't make sense I can compile and build it right now, same code, same everything and it works fine. I delete it and download the itunes version and it crashes.

Incident Identifier: AFDD5ED1-CCB1-4D7A-8AC4-D87C548D8221
CrashReporter Key:   33c55c7d65e46fa81595fd49b368534b125f3a51
Process:         iOwn [412]
Path:            /var/mobile/Applications/3BEBC20B-8F85-4FCB-922C-55A5BF233AD0/iOwn.app/iOwn
Identifier:      iOwn
Version:         ??? (???)
Code Type:       ARM (Native)
Parent Process:  launchd [1]

Date/Time:       2009-06-11 19:37:38.385 -0400
OS Version:      iPhone OS 2.2.1 (5H11)
Report Version:  103

Exception Type:  EXC_CRASH (SIGABRT)
Exception Codes: 0x00000000, 0x00000000
Crashed Thread:  0

Thread 0 Crashed:
0   libSystem.B.dylib             	0x3145dc58 __kill + 8
1   libSystem.B.dylib             	0x3145dc46 kill + 4
2   libSystem.B.dylib             	0x3145dc3a raise + 10
3   libSystem.B.dylib             	0x31478424 abort + 36
4   libstdc++.6.dylib             	0x30075b3c __gnu_cxx::__verbose_terminate_handler() + 556
5   libobjc.A.dylib               	0x300c20f8 _objc_terminate + 160
6   libstdc++.6.dylib             	0x300730d0 std::terminate() + 88
7   libstdc++.6.dylib             	0x300731d8 __cxa_throw + 92
8   libobjc.A.dylib               	0x300c1f84 objc_exception_throw + 92
9   CoreFoundation                	0x3029a598 +[NSException raise:format:arguments:] + 76
10  Foundation                    	0x306db3c0 -[NSAssertionHandler handleFailureInMethod:object:file:lineNumber:description:] + 56
11  UIKit                         	0x30b52c40 -[UILabel setFont:] + 156
12  UIKit                         	0x30c1bb68 -[UIButton layoutSubviews] + 1296
13  UIKit                         	0x30a73bd4 -[UIView(CALayerDelegate) _layoutSublayersOfLayer:] + 32
14  QuartzCore                    	0x31dd60e8 -[CALayer layoutSublayers] + 56
15  QuartzCore                    	0x31dd5ff8 CALayerLayoutIfNeeded + 192
16  QuartzCore                    	0x31dd576c CAContextCommitTransaction + 176
17  QuartzCore                    	0x31dd5434 CATransactionCommit + 260
18  CoreFoundation                	0x3026a0e6 __CFRunLoopDoObservers + 380
19  CoreFoundation                	0x3026991a CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 1508
20  CoreFoundation                	0x30269320 CFRunLoopRunInMode + 44
21  GraphicsServices              	0x31567e58 GSEventRunModal + 268
22  UIKit                         	0x30a4fa6c -[UIApplication _run] + 520
23  UIKit                         	0x30a591d0 UIApplicationMain + 1132
24  iOwn                          	0x00002090 0x1000 + 4240
25  iOwn                          	0x0000202c 0x1000 + 4140

Thread 1:
0   libSystem.B.dylib             	0x3146baa4 mach_msg_trap + 20
1   libSystem.B.dylib             	0x31468b70 mach_msg + 60
2   CoreFoundation                	0x30269748 CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 1042
3   CoreFoundation                	0x30269320 CFRunLoopRunInMode + 44
4   WebCore                       	0x32bc0740 RunWebThread + 340
5   libSystem.B.dylib             	0x31461786 _pthread_body + 34

Thread 2:
0   libSystem.B.dylib             	0x3146baa4 mach_msg_trap + 20
1   libSystem.B.dylib             	0x31468b70 mach_msg + 60
2   GraphicsServices              	0x3156aca8 EventReceiveThread + 504
3   libSystem.B.dylib             	0x31461786 _pthread_body + 34

Thread 0 crashed with ARM Thread State:
    r0: 0x00000000    r1: 0x00000000      r2: 0x00000001      r3: 0x393feb24
    r4: 0x00000006    r5: 0x2fffe0c4      r6: 0x3823f0f8      r7: 0x2fffe0d4
    r8: 0x301418d4    r9: 0x394346d0     r10: 0x001c84a0     r11: 0x00000000
    ip: 0x00000025    sp: 0x2fffe0d4      lr: 0x3145dc4d      pc: 0x3145dc58
  cpsr: 0x000f0010

Binary Images:
    0x1000 -    0x2efff +iOwn ??? (???) <bcf17cabb8797c026423727eae930fa7> /var/mobile/Applications/3BEBC20B-8F85-4FCB-922C-55A5BF233AD0/iOwn.app/iOwn
   0xfa000 -    0xfbfff  dns.so ??? (???) <7e54f40c0e9e0860314e49c290b340a3> /usr/lib/info/dns.so
 0x3a24000 -  0x3a24fff  TextInput_en ??? (???) <76dc770119e59a3ffc2af63f5e9221a4> /System/Library/TextInput/TextInput_en.bundle/TextInput_en
0x2fe00000 - 0x2fe22fff  dyld ??? (???) <f6a50d5f57a676b54276d0ecef46d5f0> /usr/lib/dyld
0x30000000 - 0x30008fff  libgcc_s.1.dylib ??? (???) <2c68d752c35e553ce4944253c3e7aa02> /usr/lib/libgcc_s.1.dylib
0x3000c000 - 0x30079fff  libstdc++.6.dylib ??? (???) <810ba7a889418c2fa42c2d82676249be> /usr/lib/libstdc++.6.dylib
0x300bb000 - 0x301a8fff  libobjc.A.dylib ??? (???) <9b4b6a1caf13c2adfb8d235e76ec0618> /usr/lib/libobjc.A.dylib
0x301f9000 - 0x30200fff  libbsm.dylib ??? (???) <f07f6291583d6e883f529b925f767cf6> /usr/lib/libbsm.dylib
0x30204000 - 0x30212fff  libz.1.dylib ??? (???) <b590559dfa798361013a0f6e31018df7> /usr/lib/libz.1.dylib
0x30237000 - 0x302ddfff  CoreFoundation ??? (???) <e461335556641a9049d6e12c53ffc13a> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreFoundation.framework/CoreFoundation
0x303a1000 - 0x30430fff  libsqlite3.0.dylib ??? (???) <693269a3109bff32213a75a815e6cfe4> /usr/lib/libsqlite3.0.dylib
0x3066c000 - 0x3073ffff  Foundation ??? (???) <2f0bb76cfade98f2e82f6ca281bca713> /System/Library/Frameworks/Foundation.framework/Foundation
0x3085c000 - 0x30866fff  CoreVideo ??? (???) <b6f9991ce47441fc89d4badec7f3c4e6> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreVideo.framework/CoreVideo
0x30875000 - 0x30884fff  AppSupport ??? (???) <db82c3fc166570ea397ee1a3db682d55> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/AppSupport.framework/AppSupport
0x30891000 - 0x30896fff  liblockdown.dylib ??? (???) <31770f505dbc8e7f93165b075313dd93> /usr/lib/liblockdown.dylib
0x30a45000 - 0x30cc7fff  UIKit ??? (???) <9d01f1e817aeeb32a7baa24dce8dcddf> /System/Library/Frameworks/UIKit.framework/UIKit
0x30f53000 - 0x30fd5fff  com.apple.framework.IOKit 1.5.1 (???) <20aeee7efe340c9d7b2acc82221bb923> /System/Library/Frameworks/IOKit.framework/Versions/A/IOKit
0x30ff3000 - 0x311a4fff  com.apple.CoreGraphics 1.359.13 (???) <62747319453a181e5b507100afe3dac2> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreGraphics.framework/CoreGraphics
0x311f3000 - 0x31242fff  CFNetwork ??? (???) <c99a3a401edecf543a6814982376fdea> /System/Library/Frameworks/CFNetwork.framework/CFNetwork
0x31270000 - 0x312a6fff  OpenGLES ??? (???) <d93585c3ba5bc619845e0cbb931b2b82> /System/Library/Frameworks/OpenGLES.framework/OpenGLES
0x312b2000 - 0x3137afff  JavaScriptCore ??? (???) <03567ce85a6b3f826de52833e35da633> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/JavaScriptCore.framework/JavaScriptCore
0x313fa000 - 0x31521fff  libSystem.B.dylib ??? (???) <0fc9fef437491a94d875daf247f36fbc> /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib
0x31564000 - 0x3156ffff  GraphicsServices ??? (???) <02da76f5933f98481eee4e3f1b4b1c10> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/GraphicsServices.framework/GraphicsServices
0x3158b000 - 0x315c0fff  Security ??? (???) <7c0b94dedc0363335b62de411a4c53c0> /System/Library/Frameworks/Security.framework/Security
0x315d9000 - 0x31686fff  ImageIO ??? (???) <b85f0939025af03f5b006fe3cdbae76b> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/ImageIO.framework/ImageIO
0x31822000 - 0x3184ffff  SystemConfiguration ??? (???) <b673ff214ecb18f48ab3809c68b9f82c> /System/Library/Frameworks/SystemConfiguration.framework/SystemConfiguration
0x31946000 - 0x319b6fff  CoreAudio ??? (???) <66c5fd8f095c2e6c399240959674756e> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreAudio.framework/CoreAudio
0x31ad4000 - 0x31aeefff  AddressBook ??? (???) <87f470763ba528f47d58f7e9486dfc42> /System/Library/Frameworks/AddressBook.framework/AddressBook
0x31bcd000 - 0x31bd2fff  MBX2D ??? (???) <0f0d56c6fde0670732a89cc3166bbced> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/MBX2D.framework/MBX2D
0x31bd6000 - 0x31bd7fff  MBXConnect ??? (???) <5cb05b6860d3e5d31e2907344c60ddbc> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/MBXConnect.framework/MBXConnect
0x31dcd000 - 0x31e4cfff  QuartzCore ??? (???) <cb1aa94a3175bc326223fa7551b4d47c> /System/Library/Frameworks/QuartzCore.framework/QuartzCore
0x31e85000 - 0x31e87fff  CoreSurface ??? (???) <6aabe16c45a9ac9ec358efcb8e74ee2b> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreSurface.framework/CoreSurface
0x31e8c000 - 0x31e8dfff  IOMobileFramebuffer ??? (???) <2622d9270459e18635ac3b9abe184249> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/IOMobileFramebuffer.framework/IOMobileFramebuffer
0x3213e000 - 0x32223fff  libicucore.A.dylib ??? (???) <ae540de6fb39ea79d564dded1607e1ae> /usr/lib/libicucore.A.dylib
0x32409000 - 0x324dafff  libxml2.2.dylib ??? (???) <8784b9ffec64404a6a26fefe67ba45bd> /usr/lib/libxml2.2.dylib
0x325ec000 - 0x32c89fff  WebCore ??? (???) <5ddaa2736116d1f8fae09e113b64037b> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/WebCore.framework/WebCore
0x32fcb000 - 0x33051fff  WebKit ??? (???) <5cba5d32b2f5de0b72384b14f13df575> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/WebKit.framework/WebKit
0x33404000 - 0x33442fff  libCGFreetype.A.dylib ??? (???) <adbae889ac28b4d42297bcf951c9ae2e> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreGraphics.framework/Resources/libCGFreetype.A.dylib
0x33cc8000 - 0x33ceafff  libRIP.A.dylib ??? (???) <ee70d178b545087d3b93cebac2f44270> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreGraphics.framework/Resources/libRIP.A.dylib
0x33d10000 - 0x33d16fff  SpringBoardServices ??? (???) <dffc7baf9374e6ccc3dc75bfa4294ae1> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SpringBoardServices.framework/SpringBoardServices
0x344ec000 - 0x34509fff  libresolv.9.dylib ??? (???) <d2cf3f40b8297909dcfd2ee83326af8c> /usr/lib/libresolv.9.dylib
0x34884000 - 0x3499dfff  AudioToolbox ??? (???) <176bbb6b69d15cf4262fe5de5874eba3> /System/Library/Frameworks/AudioToolbox.framework/AudioToolbox

 

[synth3tik]

I don't understand why Apple wouldn't have a separate submission process for updates. It makes no sense to fully review each update of an app. For an update they should really only need to check that it is functional and not malicious.

It cost developers money and reputation and it also could keep people away from buying apps.

Honestly just hearing all the issues developers are having when things don't just "work" and I seriously am wherry of purchasing any apps. Not because of the developers, but because Apple is still not with it.

 

[Ttownbeast]

Perhaps more testing would have been appropriate before releasing a defective product in the first place. And rather than trusting a simulation you should've just checked it directly on an I phone with the older software before problems cropped up considering that the market share of phones were still using 2.x--I say take it as a lesson learned rather than complain about Apple being slow to help and fix the issue now you have twice the work ahead of you trying to save your reputation. Impatience and lack of thoroughness is a horrible thing apparently a common problem among programmers with so little business experience.

 

[PhoneyDeveloper]

It looks like there is an assertion failure on line 11 when a button is trying to set its font.

Do you use any unusual fonts for buttons?

Do you see anything in the console for the device related to this crash report? Usually the assertion failures write out what caused the failure.

Are all the crash reports that you got the same crash?

 

[detz]

It looks like there is an assertion failure on line 11 when a button is trying to set its font.

Do you use any unusual fonts for buttons?

Do you see anything in the console for the device related to this crash report? Usually the assertion failures write out what caused the failure.

Are all the crash reports that you got the same crash?

I don't have a console since if I compile the app and install it it works fine and doesn't crash. The only way I can get it to crash is to download it form the itunes store and then I can't see anything since there is no debugger. There are no crash reports in itunes connect but the few that are on the phone from it crashing tonight(via the organizer) all seem to crash at the same point. I'm not using any custom fonts or anything special.

 

[PhoneyDeveloper]

The organizer shows you the device console, which is stored in a log file. It's the tab at the top next to crash Logs. That's what I meant by 'console for the device' as opposed to the debugger console.